Dispensing device



Jan. 15, 1935. c w s 1,987,689

DI-SPENSING DEVICE Filed June 12, 1934 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Jan.15, 1935 UNITED err,

My invention relates to a new and useful dispensing device. and itrelates more particularly to a device adapted to dispense any desireddeodorant, disinfectant, or other liquid, from a containerintermittently into the contents of another container in a controlledand regulated manner, as, for instance, for the purpose of dispensing adisinfectant and deodorant into the water of a flush tank of a toiletbowl intermittently between successive fiushings of said toilet bowl, itbeing understood that my novel dispensing device is equally applicablefor use in connection with other devices also.

My invention still furtherrelates to a dispensing device of this kind,the structure of which includes no movable or working parts so thatthere is nothing to wear out or get out of order,

thereby eliminating all expense and trouble in volved in replacements orrepairs.

. My invention still further relates to a dispensing device of thischaracter which is of an extremely simple and inexpensive constructionand assembly, thereby placing the device within the purchasing power ofthe entire public.

My invention still further relates to a dispensing device of thischaracter which needs no servicing whatever, except an occasionalreplenishing of the supply of disinfectant, and, due to the manner inwhich my novel dispensing device is calculated to operate, the supply ofdisinfectant need only be replenished at relatively long intervals.

My invention still further relates to a novel dispensing device of thischaracter which can be installed and serviced by the purchaser withoutthe exercise of any particular skill.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 represents a vertical sectional view of a dispensing deviceembodying my invention shown in the inoperative position.

Fig. 2 represents a similar view showing my novel dispensing deviceafter it has been put into operation.

Referring to the drawing, in which like reference characters indicatelike parts, 1 designates any desired container, such as a bottle or thelike, which is provided with a water-tight removable cap 2 adapted toengage the mouth thereof. Passing through the cap 2 and soldered orotherwise packed as at 3 are the inner dispensing tube 4 and the outershielding tube 5. The connection 3 of the tubes 4 and 5 Withthe cap 2is, of course, water-tight. The upper end of the inner tube 4 reaches toa point near the top (inverted bottom) 6 of the container 1 while theupper end of the shielding tube 5 stops a little short of the upper endof the inner dispensing tube 4, as shown. The bottle or container isheld in the inverted position by any desirable support '7, the upperhooked end 8 of which is adapted to engage a wall of the flush tank orother container to which the dispensing device is to be applied. Inoperation the cap 2 is removed and the bottle or container 1 is filledwith the desired disinfectant 10, which may be of any desired solutionhaving a specific gravity or density greater than that of the water 11into which the disinfectant or deodorant 10 is to be intermittentlyintroduced. When the bottle has been filled, the cap 2 is applied to themouth thereof, with the inner dispensing tube 4 and the shielding tube5, which are rigidly carried by the cap 2, extending downwardly into thecontainer 1, the inner tube 4 projecting beyond the cap 2, as shown.The-container is then inverted and positioned in the support 7 and is sospaced from the level of the water 11 in the flush tank or othercontainer (not shown) as to bring the lower end 12 of the tube 4 to apoint below the normal level of the water 11. The outer water shieldingtube .5 is provided with the opening 13 in close proximity to the cap 2and the inner tube 4 is provided with another opening 14 a littlefurther from the cap 2 than is the opening 13. The respective sizes ofthe openings 13 and 14 depend upon the nature of the disinfectant usedas well as the rate of speed with which it is desired to effect thedispensing of the disinfectant or deodorant.

The operation is as follows: When the container 1 is inverted, thedisinfectant 10 passes through the lower opening 13 in the outer tube 5and upwardly in the space 16 between the inner and outer tubes 4 and 5and enters the tube 4 through the opening 14. The partial vacuum createdin the upper end of the container at 17 prevents the escape of thedisinfectant, except for a drop or two, and as long as the lower end 12of the inner tube 4 is not immersed in water or other liquid of asmaller specific gravity than the specific gravity of the disinfectant10 the device will not operate. This condition prevails for a short timeduring and immediately after the water in the flush tank has been usedand the flush tank is empty. As the flush tank refills, the normal levelof the water 11 therein rises above the lower end 12 of the tube 4, asshown in Fig. 2, and the disinfectant 10 passes out in the form of aribbon 18 into the water 11 to sterilize and deodorize the same.

The exit of the disinfectant 10 tends to increase the vacuum in the area17, so that a suction is exerted'upwardly against the water 11 throughthe inner tube 4. Due to the difference in weights or specific gravitiesof the disinfectant 10 and water 11. the water rises in the tube 4 untilit reaches the opening 14, whereupon it enters the opening 14 andtravels upwardly in the space 16 between the inner and outer tubes 4 and5 and collects over the upper level 19 of the disinfectant, as shown inFig. 2. When the weight or specific gravity of the water 11 has beensufficiently raised by the admixture therewith of the disinfectant 10, apoint of balance is reached at which the flow of the disinfectant 10from the container is arrested. This. condition obtains until the waterin the flush tank has been used and a supply of fresh water fills thetank, whereupon the operation of dispensing is resumed. The water beinglighter than the disinfectant collects at the top, as shown in Fig. 2,but in order to minimize the diluting action of the water on thedisinfectant the outer water shielding tube 5 is used to conduct thewater up to the top of the container to a point above or very closetothe upper level 19 of the disinfectant 10. I have built and am readyto demonstrate an actual working device which, when applied to a flushtank or other device, dispenses the disinfectant, intermittently aftereach flushing of the tank, and in which the amount of disinfectant usedis replaced with a corresponding amount of water, so that the initiallevel A of the liquid within the container first obtained when thecontainer is inverted remains constant, the only change being thatinstead of the container being filled with disinfectant 10 it is, aftera period of operation, filled with water. My theory as to the operationof this device is that the difference in weight or specific gravitybetween the water and the disinfectant causes the water to rise andcauses the disinfectant to fiow into the fiush tank, and it is alsopossible that a chemical aflinity between the water and the disinfectantmay also aid in the operation. In actual experience I have found that acontainer holding of a toilet bowl, lasts about three months, at the endof which it is merely necessary to empty the container of the water thathas seeped into it and to refill such container with the disinfectant,whereupon the container is again placed in the inverted position shownin Fig. 2 for operation until the disinfectant therein is again replacedby the water. In the drawing I have left the chamber or space 16 betweenthe inner and outer tubes 4 and 5 unshaded, in order toprevent-confusion, and I have also not illustrated in the drawing thestream of water 11 going up through the.lower end of the tube 4 and thenup through the chamber 16 to where the water is shown at 11 in Fig. 2,also in order not to confuse the drawing.

I claim:

1. A dispensing device comprising an inverted receptacle, a liquid-tightclosure for the mouth thereof, an inner tube carried by said closure andextending upwardly within said inverted receptacle and downwardly belowthe closure thereof, and an outer tube carried by said closure andextending upwardly within said container concentrically with said innertube, there being openings in said inner'and outer tubes in proximity tobut at different distances from said closure.

2. A dispensing device comprising an inverted receptacle, a liquid-tightclosure for the mouth thereof, an inner tube carried by said closure andextending upwardly within said inverted receptacle and downwardly belowthe closure thereof, and an outer tube carriedby said closure andextending upwardly within said container concentrically with and spacedfrom said inner tube, there being openings in said inner and outer tubesin proximity to but at different distances from said closure, said outertube being shorter than said inner tube.

E WOOD C. LEWIS.

